Africa a huge market for RI<\/p>\n
My last letter to The Jakarta Post, titled Goodbye Indonesia,
\nwas published on Feb. 22, 1998. Thanks to God that two years
\nlater I am still able to write, which I think bears testimony to
\nmy sweet memory of the Post. But I am quite aware that many of
\nthe Post's readers have missed me as well as my regular letters.<\/p>\n
Physically, I disappeared. Spiritually, I am still with the
\nPost, the readers, and my fellow writers, especially, D.
\nChandramouli, Piero Ronci and Farid Baskoro. Chandramouli's
\nletter on March 3, 1999, made me remember him because he
\ndescribed me as \"a good writer, excellent communicator and a
\ngoodwill ambassador of Africa\".<\/p>\n
Baskoro in his letter on Aug. 22, 1997, said: \"Africa is a
\nmisunderstood continent and is often presented in an unfair,
\ndistorted way.\" In his Aug. 21, 1996, letter, Piero Ronci was
\nable to effectively condemn racial abuse against African
\nsportsmen\/sportswomen within the context of Nigeria's soccer
\nvictory in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.<\/p>\n
If you come to Abuja, Nigeria's new administrative capital,
\n\"How can I believe my eyes?\" is the question you will probably
\nask yourself. You will then regret the wicked media deception
\nthat discourages people from knowing the good of Africa.<\/p>\n
Mr. Bill Clinton, the U.S. President, spent two lively days
\nhere from Aug. 26, 2000, to Aug. 28, 2000. I took the time to
\nfollow his speeches here and I immediately recall one of his
\nstatements: \" ... Americans look upon Africa not simply as a
\ncontinent with problems, but also a continent which presents the
\nworld's next great opportunity to advance the cause of peace,
\njustice and prosperity.\"<\/p>\n
There is a huge market in Africa but the international media
\ndiscourage Asian businesspeople from doing business here,
\nprobably assuming all Nigerians are members of an international
\nscam. Never! This is too far from the truth.<\/p>\n
Now take a very simple example of Indonesia and Nigeria. You
\nwill certainly find that since Indonesia's currency turmoil more
\nthan two years ago, industries have become more desperate for
\nmarkets where their products can be purchased. The market in
\nNigeria, with over a hundred million consumers, definitely needs
\nIndonesian industrial products, but most Nigerian importers are
\nhandcuffed for lack of business information on Indonesia. The
\nIndonesian industrialists, I am so sorry to say, are afraid of
\ndoing business with Nigerians due to false media information that
\nNigerians are members of an international scam.<\/p>\n
When I arrived back in Nigeria two years ago, different
\nbusinesspeople asked me for import information on Indonesia. I
\nsent more than one inquiry but there was no reply. Even at the
\nmoment, building materials and batik are still marketable in
\nNigeria.<\/p>\n
Please, beware of the media bias against Africa. Most of us
\nhere at home are innocent. To the Muslims in Indonesia, I say
\nHappy Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
BUHARI ABDU<\/p>\n
Kano, Nigeria<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/africa-a-huge-market-for-ri-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }